A Yearning to Belong
by Fanaerys
Summary: After a bad break-up with his girlfriend of three years, Gilbert finds solace in a quiet, humble friend- who he might also find endearing and adorable? / Eventual PruCan, ex-PruHun, AusHun, FrUK, more ships to be determined. A multi-chapter fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia, or any of the characters you will probably read about in this fic.**

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A tall lone figure stood before a fire. It was well past 6pm, scenes from earlier in the day still fresh in his mind. Red eyes scanned over the flickering of embers, things which were so dear to him that morning. The albino still had items in his pockets, pictures of him and his now ex-girlfriend. He stared at the articles of clothing, stuffed toys, and miscellaneous gifts from Elizaveta. They were now burning to ash. He couldn't cry, not anymore, for he had cried his last tears for her earlier that day.

She had cheated on him, and he knew it was going to happen, but he put so much of his trust into her that he hoped she wouldn't. He knew it was going to happen, he had seen all the red flags, the secretiveness and the lies. He knew who the guy was; as she had talked about liking him at one time in their relationship, but Gilbert only pushed the thought of Elizaveta and that aristocrat douche bag being together far, far away in his mind. Of course, he had his doubts, but the Hungarian only calmed them away with a simple, chaste kiss and an 'I love you, Gilbert.'

His eyes looked over a picture of himself and the beautiful girl, happy and smiling. His frown deepened, how had that stiff, cranky Roderich managed to sweep his amazing girlfriend off her feet was a mystery to him. Maybe it was his piano-playing, because Gilbert doubted it was his snobbish attitude, or his criticizing views. Nevertheless, he was no more to Elizaveta, and Gilbert wondered why she had left him. He had treated her kindly and with respect, not to mention he was her best friend. So what had he done wrong?

Had she become bored with Gilbert?

He closed his eyes, and flicked the picture into the flames. He reopened them, and sat down on the dusty pavement that was the alley-way. He had made sure that the fire stayed small, yet enough to burn things away quicker. The last thing he needed on this shit day was for the police to come and interrogate him. He picked out a different picture. It was of the beautiful brunette, her back to the camera, but her head was facing towards him. She was smiling, and he remembered the day clearly in his head. It was their first picnic date. He thought it was very uncool, but he was willing to go lengths to please his woman. She wore a simple white tank-top, and a light green maxi-skirt. Her brown hair was decorated with a white flower. She really is gorgeous.

He also flicked that photo into the fire. Reminiscing wasn't doing anything to will himself to move on from her. He gave quick looks at all the photos, all the memories they made together was slowly turning to black, powdery ash. He then gave quick glances at the other photos they had taken, before throwing them into the fire. He watched them fade away, turning into dust. He sat down onto the dusty, cracked pavement that was the alley-way. He eyed the destructive, dancing flames, and just thought. What had he done? Could it have been possibly when he accidentally cut a chunk of her hair? It grew back quickly, and she did forgive him after she went to get it professionally cut.

He heard laughter coming from down the alley, and hoped to whoever was listening that they wouldn't disturb him. He could hear the voices getting closer, and the hushed chattering. He winced as he was three pairs of shoes in his view.

"You know, fire is dangerous. Even more so when you're sitting within less than a feet from it." The albino heard a voice say. It sounded strangely familiar to him. "What if a cherry had flown into your sweater and caused a disaster?" Gilbert looked up to see who was talking to him. It was one of the boys from his school, Alfred. "Oh, it's you. Didn't think you lived down this way." Gilbert looked at the three blond boys. Alfred was staring down at him, questioningly. The other had green eyes that stared with curiosity. He looked at the other male, who seemed a bit surprised that Gilbert even looked his way. He had blue, almost violet eyes. His eye colour was very intriguing. Then the violet-eyed boy spoke.

"Are... Are you okay?" He asked, concern laced in his soft, velvet-like voice. His voice was humble, as if had his voice been a few decibels higher, it would break the albino. Gilbert could feel the tears threatening to fall, and dammit, he didn't want to cry in front of the star quarterback, the boy with the bushiest brows he had ever seen, or the boy with the prettiest eyes. He ducked his head, and tried his hardest to not cry. Gilbert closed his eyes shut, and opened them again, seeing small wet patches on his lap.

"N-no. I'm not okay." The albino admitted, letting out a pained cry. He brought his knees to his chest and sobbed quietly. He heard the shuffle of sneakers against cement and half hoped they went away, half hoped they stayed to keep him company. He looked up and saw that the three had sat down with him. He looked to the fire, and saw that the fire had decreased in size. There was a few moments of silence, before Alfred had spoke up.

"Well, what's wrong?" the blonde asked, and Gilbert wondered if he should tell him what happened. Alfred was one of the most well-liked students in his school, and Gilbert was... well, Gilbert. The one who pulled pranks on his teachers and fellow classmates, and often sought trouble with his two best friends. Still, there was a reason why he was liked by most of the student body.

"My girlfriend broke up with me, and I am such a dumbass, because I saw it coming. I knew it was going to happen, but I just... I-I just... l-let it happen." Gilbert sobbed quietly. "I loved her, so much." Gilbert continued, "She was my-my best f-friend, and then that rich asshat Roderich came into her life and swept her off her feet!" Gilberts voice was laced with venom the second the Austrians name was voiced. "I g-gave her everything, and she just- she just left with a snap of a finger." The albino sniffled, wiping his tears away with the sleeve of his hoodie.

"Sounds like to me she didn't appreciate you." Alfred said rather bluntly.

"Alfred!" The quiet boy patronized him, lightly hitting Alfred in the shoulder. "Y-you shouldn't have said that!" He crossed his arms.

"N-no... He's right, it does sound like she didn't appreciate me." Gilbert said, his head fell back, and looked up at the sky. It was becoming a darker blue.

"We were going back to my place, do you think you'd want to come along?" Alfred asked, knowing that Gilbert needed a distraction from this girl who had broken his heart. Gilbert thought about the offer, then Alfred added, "We were thinking about watching a movie, but I'm sure these guys won't mind saving it for later." Gilbert nodded.

"Yeah, a movie sounds nice." Gilbert said. Alfred gave him a winning smile and got up. Alfred reached his hand out for Gilbert to take. The tall albino gave a shy smile.

"Oh, by the way, this is Arthur," Alfred pointed to the guy with massive brows, "and this is my brother, Matthew." The blue eyed boy gestured to the boy with violet eyes. Gilbert nodded in acknowledgement, "Let's get going, yeah?" They all agreed and Gilbert quickly put out the small flame. Only black dust was left behind. The four had made their way down the alley.

"I have like, a whole ton of games we could play if the movie doesn't work out." Alfred piped up, his mind wandering to his video game collection. "Seriously, you're gonna have to look at them. I'm proud of my collection." The talkative blonde smiled. Gilbert briefly wondered if it was comparable to his own collection of games. The three had turned into a yard, and Gilbert stared at the light blue house. He had passed this house plenty of times, yet he didn't know Alfred lived here. The house was just as large as his own, and had a garden that was well tended to. There was a garage that was painted in the same colour, and a patio area.

"Welcome to micasa, Gilbert." Alfred said, and opened the back door, Arthur followed behind him, and then Matthew, and then Gilbert. "Hey mom." Alfred greeted his mom, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, mama." Matthew greeted, also giving his mom a kiss on her other cheek. The woman was currently cooking something that smelled delicious.

"Hello, boys! Hello, Arthur, how are you doing?" She asked, smiling at the Brit.

"I'm doing fine, Mrs. Jones, thanks for asking. How about you?" Arthur asked, being courteous out of habit. Gilbert felt like he was watching from the sidelines. He felt like he was intruding on something precious.

"I'm doing great! Are you going to stay for supper?" She asked, her light blue eyes wandered to the other boy standing awkwardly in the kitchen, "Oh, who's this? A new friend?" She turned to look at Gilbert, who smiled and waved.

"Mama, this is Gilbert, he goes to our school." Matthew said, a small generous smile never leaving his lips. The lady nodded and smiled.

"Welcome to our home, Gilbert, please make yourself comfortable, alright, doll?" Her voice was just as sweet as Matthews, "Will you be staying for dinner, too, then?" She asked. Gilbert looked to Matthew or Alfred for help. Matthew only smiled, and Alfred nodded, motioning for the albino to do the same.

"Yeah, I'd love to stay for dinner." He voiced, and saw that Alfred had given him a thumbs up. He watched as their moms eyes fill with glee, and she excitedly clapped her hands together.

"That's great! Well, you boys go on upstairs, I'll call when dinners ready." She said, and went back to her cooking. Alfred made a gesture to follow him, and Arthur and Gilbert were right behind him. Gilbert was somewhat disappointed that the other blonde hadn't come along, instead opting to help out his mom set the table.

"Yo, Gil," Alfred called his nickname, which was a bit weird. That name was usually reserved for closer friends. Friend like Francis and Antonio, and used to be Elizaveta. Gilbert frowned, wondering why he had began to think about her. He tried to shake his thoughts away, but that didn't work. He followed Alfred up the stairs. The quarterback stopped at the top, looking at Gilbert, waiting for a response. "Gilbert?" The albino was quickly taken out of his thoughts.

"Yeah?" He responded, looking up at him. Alfred seemed to be deep in thought, like he was wondering if he should say something or not. The blond brushed it off and continued down to his room, making sure the two were following behind him. Alfred quickly made himself comfortable on his bed, while Arthur took a seat on the small futon that was placed against a wall. Gilbert looked around for a suitable place, thinking if he should sit next to Arthur, or on the floor. The albino made up his mind quickly and sat on the futon, a bit farther away from Arthur.

His eyes scanned the room, it was painted a dark navy blue, and posters of bands, and football players were plastered on the walls. Trophies lined shelves, and there was a part of his room dedicated to video games. Needless to say, he was thoroughly impressed, but he wouldn't voice his appraisal with ease. Gilbert stood up from the futon and went to scan his eyes over multiple, familiar titles. He owned most of these games, save for a few indie games he hadn't heard about.

"What's a good co-op we can all play?" Gilbert asked, his thick German accent present in his words. He looked back to Alfred, who was mindlessly surfing the internet on his iPhone. Arthur had busied himself with a book that Gilbert is also supposed to be reading. Arthur looked up the second Gilbert spoke.

"Hm, I've gotten better at Smash." Arthur had set aside his book, in favour of hoping they would play Smash. Alfred only scoffed.

"As if you would get better at Smash. You sucked the last time we played it, which was a few days ago." The American retorted, only receiving a glare from the Brit. Gilbert watched as the two bickered back and forth. He thought about how Arthur can even handle the guy. "Besides, you picked Kirby, out of all the other characters." Alfred laughed. The American only got up from the bed, "But if you think you're _soooo_ good, then challenge accepted. I am the master at Smash!" He practically yelled, his hand wailing in the air with excitement. Gilbert didn't know what to think of Alfreds actions, or words.

"Oh, shut your trap. I bet you 20 I can beat your ass!" Arthur pipped up, and stood up from where he was standing. Alfred only smirked.

"Bring it, old man."

"I'm only 2 years older than you." Arthur stated, crossing his arms with a huff.

Gilbert had already placed his bets on Alfred, not that he was going to say anything, though. He knew that the Brit had a fight in him, and did not want to provoke that side of him at all. A few games later, Arthur was irritated. Gilbert and Alfred only chuckled. The albino could see himself becoming friends with Alfred, and maybe massive brows, too.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed so far! If you find any mistakes, or phrases that don't make too much sense, feel free to leave a line, as this is un-beta'd and I only skimmed it for proof-reading... lmao...**

 **Remember to leave a review [though you don't really need to, it would just be greatly appreciated], and constructive criticism is always a great thing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't know if you guys know this, but I'm not the great Hima-papa, therefore, I do not own Hetalia ;c**

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"Guten morgen, mein vogel." He held out his index finger and let a genuine smile form on his face. How he loved his intelligent small bird. He watched in adoration as the bird fluffed his feathers and did a little shake. His bird was indeed as awesome as he was. Why wouldn't he be? The birds name was Gilbird, and the albino thought it fitting. The small bird outstretched its wings and flew onto the Prussian's mess of hair. Gilbert only found the action endearing, and relaxing, as the bird would make a small unnoticeable nest. The albino loved his bird to bits. "Would you like something to eat?" He asked, knowing the bird can't fully understand what he's saying. However, Gilbird chirped as a response.

Gilbert waltzed out of his room, wearing only his pyjama bottoms he had put on the night before crashing onto his bed. On his way down to the stairs, he heard the shower running, which meant that his younger brother was already awake. Ah, his younger brother, Ludwig. Gilbert could only imagine how or why he had a very strict, and disciplined brother. The younger could say 'good morning' and it would still be heard as a drill command. Gilbert snorted to himself, and walked into the kitchen. He went straight for the milk, and drank out of it's carton box. He grabbed a few grapes, and popped one into his mouth. Gilbert set one grape onto the counter, and saw his small bird land next to it. "Eat up, mein vogel." Gilbird didn't need to be told twice, or once for that matter. The albino smiled at his birds appetite, and rolled another grape to his canary.

"Oh, you're down here." Ludwig's voice sounded through the kitchen. Gilbert smirked at the surprise that was evident in his brothers voice. His brother was was three years younger than him, yet he was taller than him by one inch. It doesn't hurt Gilbert's self-esteem now, but when it happened, the albino threw a fit. "Where were you last night? Grandfather had said something important at dinner, and he wanted you to be there to hear it." Ludwig passed him, and made himself a bowl of cheerios. Gilbert's eyebrows arched, thinking of what his Grandfather could have possibly said that was so important.

"Well, what was it?" Gilbert pressed on, whilst petting his bird, who was happily munching on the grapes. Ludwig had turned to him and sat down at the breakfast bar.

"He's expanding the Beilschmidt Enterprises." the blonde stated, then spooned some cereal into his mouth. Gilberts mouth dropped slightly, this was incredible news, and he was happy for his grandfather; but unlike Ludwig, he didn't really care for much about his family's ever-growing business. "He has left to Germany to meet with a few advisers this morning." Gilbert's thoughts had stopped, before a shit-eating grin had managed to find it's place on Gilbert's face. "Oh Gott... I know that face, and I will not be partaking in any of your idiotic activities." Ludwig tsked, and went back to eating his cereal.

"Relax, West. Just a few friends, and maybe a little booze." He cackled, and grabbed his bird from the counter and went back up to his room. He put the small bird back into its cage and made sure the canary had fresh seed and water. He thought about what he could do, now that the leading authoritative figure was out of the house for who knows how long. He had definitely thought about throwing a massive, black-out party, but ever since the last one... Well, he didn't feel like damaging his Grandfathers property once again. Or being admitted into the hospital. He smirked, it had been that crazy. He sighed, not feeling up for partying. He quickly grabbed something to wear, and deemed himself hotter than the sun. He said one more bye to his bird and waited in the foyer for his younger brother.

It was strange, because usually, his brother would have been waiting for him. He checked his phone, and snapped a quick selfie for him to post onto his Instagram. He couldn't think of any awesome caption to go along with the awesome photo, so he just decided on three emojis. A happy face, the peace sign, and then the sun. His smirk grew when he saw that there was already more than a few likes on his photos. He was proud of his 4k follower count, and it only grew more. Sure, there were hate accounts, but he completely dismissed them as entirely unawesome to be acknowledged.

Ludwig was by his side within a few minutes, and they both left the house. While they had their own cars to drive to school, Ludwig preferred walking, and thus dragging Gilbert along with him. His reasoning was that the school was only a 20 minute walk from their home, and didn't need to waste gas on a short trip. Had it not been such a nice, breezy day, and more disgustingly hot, Gilbert would have used his car instead. The two brothers walked alongside each other, making casual conversation on their way to school. Boring things, such as what teachers they had for the day, or if Gilbert was going to skip classes again, to which Ludwig reprimanded his _older_ brother for.

Their school had come closer into their view, and upon looking at the building, panic began to set in Gilbert. He nearly forgot who he went to school with, who he shared many classes with: his now ex-girlfriend, Elizaveta. The closer he got to the school gates, the heavier and shakier his legs felt. His breath was hitching, and becoming shallow. He wanted to run away and never face the girl again. Or maybe move to a different country, learn a different language and forget about the brunette who made his world feel like a fairy tale story. The moment he and his brother stepped before the entrance gates, he halted, looking down to the ground. Puzzled, Ludwig looks back.

"Bruder?" There was a quizzical look on the blondes face, and Gilbert only tried to keep his tears at bay. Thoughts of how the day might just go zoomed through his mind, playing different scenarios of him and Elizaveta's interactions, if there will be any. Will be be his normal self, or a different part of himself he tries to conceal to the rest of the world? Would she outright ignore him, and his aching heart, or talk to him as if the break-up never happened. He didn't like either choices, and felt that if it were one or the other, he would still feel his heart shattering over and over again.

"Elizaveta broke up with me yesterday." He admitted to Ludwig, and closed his eyes shut. He remembered that he wasn't home all day yesterday, and never told Ludwig about it. Saying those words out loud only made him hurt more. He looked up at his brother, who had been standing there with a face filled with shock. The younger brother had not seen that coming, nor was prepared for such a statement. Gilberts already red eyes filled with tears, and Ludwig only felt sorry for him. The albino wiped his tears away and they both stood in silence. Ludwig placed a hand on the albinos shoulder, and willed for Gilbert to look at him.

"It's... uh, going to be okay." Ludwig started, not knowing how to carefully piece his words together. The younger brother never thought Gilbert would be the first to go through a bad break up, and therefore, wasn't mentally prepared for such speech. He decided to go for the safer route, and tell Gilbert things that he's seen in movies. "She's... just one girl among many. There-... there will be that one girl who will make you feel like you have the entire world, a girl that you will love to the moon and back." Each word that resonated from Ludwigs lips were brief, nearing awkward for the both of them.

"I loved her to the moon and back, though." Gilbert meekly said, sniffling. "I don't know what to do, or what I'm going to do next time we bump into each other. She wasn't just a girl, Ludwig, she was my best friend, you know this. We've been friends since we were in diapers!" He groaned, realizing he's lost more than just a girlfriend, but also an awesome companion.

"Yes, I know, but I don't know what to tell you, other than that you'll be okay in the long run. You'll fall in love again, and again, and again. It's not a pretty cycle, but it does one thing; it moves on." Gilbert knew his brother was right, he knows he'll be okay, and that it will take time. He wishes he can get to that part quicker, so he wouldn't have to deal with pretending that he's okay in front of Elizaveta. The albino thought of how she was doing, was she fairing? Or was she suffering just as much as he was. He didn't think so. She had a fancy, aristocratic man now, he bitterly thought.

Gilbert noticed quickly when someone walked passed them, and he recognized the smaller frame, sand-coloured hair, along with the loop-de-loop strand of hair. Gilbert would be offended if he weren't sad, at how the shy Canadian could simply pass by his awesome self. He figured they were on a friendly basis already. His mind wandered to the night before, with himself, Alfred, Arthur, and Matthew. They had a mini Smash tournament, and Alfred had been the one to win in the end. When it was Arthur and Alfred playing against each other, Matthew and Gilbert were talking about different games they liked. Gilbert learned that Matthew liked RPGs, and enjoyed Elder Scrolls Online, along with the rest of the Elder Scrolls franchise. Gilberts favourite type of games were first person shooters, and his absolute favourite game was Metal Gear Solid, Revengeance. He smiled to himself, thinking back to when Matthew had said he tried the game, but couldn't get passed the Bladewolf, no matter how many times he tried.

Gilbert wasn't thinking when he started walking to the shy blonde. He forgot about his brother, who was trying his hardest to comfort the albino. He outreached his hand and placed it onto the Canadians shoulder. Under his hand, he felt the boy jump in surprise, and tensed. He slowly turned his head and then violet eyes stared back at him, visibly shaken, and then relaxing. Matthew smiled and turned his body to the albino.

"Oh, hello, Gilbert. Good morning." He said, his hand clutching onto his forearm. There was a smile gracing his lips, and his eyes were attentive. Gilbert let his hand fall back to his side.

"Hey, Mattie. Guten morgen to you, too." He responded, and added nothing else. Which wasn't a good choice, as both parties were standing, not knowing what to say next.

"'Guten morgen' eh?" Matthew commented, and Gilbert only laughed at how ridiculous he made the greeting sound. "What's up?" Matthews violet eyes moved away from his own, and Gilbert followed. His brother was standing beside him, staring at the Canadian perplexed. "U-um, hi." The albino knew that the younger male was unbelievably shy, and a tad bit awkward.

"Hallo. Who is this, Gil?" Ludwig stared at his older brother, wondering why he had gone off and talked to a random boy. The German was very confused with Gilbert's _mood-swings_. Gilbert had quickly taken the timid boy under his arms and introduced him.

"This is my new awesome friend, Mattie." Gilbert said with a grin, and Ludwig only stared at the odd duo. "Mattie, this is my brother, Luddy, he's not as awesome as me, but that's okay." He smirked, and only received a stoic look from his brother- not that he was expecting for something more or less. Gilbert looked over to Matthew, who looked pleasant, and welcoming.

"Nice to meet you," Matthew smiled, and quickly untangled himself from Gilbert's side-hug. The self-proclaimed Prussian decided not to say anything about it, thankfully, Ludwig instead he decided to fill the awkward silence with his own introductions. Then proceeded to say something about going to classes and that the albino and Canadian should go to theirs too. Matthew happily agreed, and both he and Gilbert walked into the school.

"What class do you have first?" Gilbert asked, looking around cautiously. He's anticipating seeing Elizaveta, hoping she wouldn't see him, or that they don't make eye-contact for the rest of the day. He busied himself with Matthew, as it turns out, he's a great distraction. Matthew looked over to him, sensing his mild jumpiness., but said nothing of it.

"Ah... Well, I've got Mr. Peters for my first class." he replied, and Gilbert nodded. Mr. Peters was a nice fella, goodhearted, and maybe a little crazy in the head. He was the science teacher, after all. "Then I have... English lit with Ms. Khol." He added.

"Wow, you got the good teachers. I got stuck with unawesome shitty teachers who think it's hilarious to give me daily detention." Gilbert rolled his eyes. He had gotten one too many detentions from his awesome pranks. He just didn't know why Francis or Toni haven't been caught yet. Gilbert makes a note to ask them how they do it. He scratches that note, because he's the awesome Gilbert who doesn't need to ask for instructions. He'll eventually go without receiving detention or suspension.

"Hm, yeah, I guess." Matthew turned into a stairwell and halted, "What classes do you got?" He asked, peering up at the taller male. Gilbert thought about it for a moment, before pulling out his timetable.

"Uh, math and then world history." Gilbert made a face as he read out the words. "Only good thing about them is that Franny and Toni share them with me, and then I have a spare after that." He added, thinking that his first class of the day wasn't on the second or third floor. Matthew chuckled, which brought Gilbert back into reality.

"Franny?" He mused, smiling lightly. Gilbert smirked, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, that's his nickname. You know, Francis." He looked around, seeing students filling the hallway, making their ways to their respective lockers.

"I know who Francis is, he's my cousin." The blonde states, something he didn't know about Francis, as he doesn't really talk much about his family. Gilbert only knew that he moved from France and that most of his family lived there.

"Oh, I didn't know that. Well, that just proves that you are indeed awesome." His smug grin did not leave his face, and Matthew rolled his eyes, all the while a smile playing on his lips.

"Let's just get to class." Matthew said and started for the stairs. Gilbert followed, despite knowing that his class was on the main floor. Matthew didn't, though.

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 **:P :P :P I hope you're enjoying this fic just as much as I'm enjoying writing it! Anyways, Matthew and Gilberts relationship atm is very... small? They only met the day before, so I doubt there's going to be serious life changing conversations yet. I intend to make this a slow-burn, but I've never really put much thought into it, so I'm a little unsure about making the fic that way. Either way, this fic will end with them being lovey-dovey and shit.**

 **Also, if you see any mistakes, misuse of phrases, or general spelling errors, feel free to contact me and I will get right on to fixing it! Like I said last chapter, this fic is un-beta'd and partially proof-read. Cya in the next chapter! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia ;p**

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He made it through a whole week of school, and he was exhausted. Gilbert had been beside Matthews side the entire week, thankful that he hadn't become an annoyance to the younger male. He met some of Matthew's friends, too, to his surprise. He had two other friends besides Gilbert, and they kept close to each other. While a bit skeptical of Gilbert's presence, they had welcomed him. Matthew's friends weren't all that chatty, or maybe they were just keeping quiet because the albino was there, but they were decent enough to introduce themselves.

One of them was a female, by the name of Lilli. She was cute, Gilbert thought, but too quiet and shy for his tastes. Which is probably why Matthew had befriended her, and they had many similarities. Such as being on the shorter side, both being blonde, quiet and timid. The only difference between them would be their eye colour. Gilbert smirked as he wondered if Matthew was dating the pretty girl. He wouldn't be surprised, to be honest. In fact, he was quickly devising up a plan to bring them together if they weren't already.

The other was a taller male, and his name was Lars. Gilbert had definitely seen the guy around school, mostly behind the school when he followed a distinct smell of marijuana. They had chatted for a bit, passing the joint back and forth from each other. Gilbert was also aware that Lars and his good friend Antonio didn't get along well. He just couldn't get why Matthew was friends with him, or how they had become friends. The two were different from each other. Then again, he shouldn't be talking; he and Matthew were also quite different.

So, here Gilbert was, standing outside of the school, waiting for Matthew to finish whatever he was doing. The albino would have waited inside, but he had been avoiding a certain Hungarian for the entire week, and he'd like to keep that streak going. Many students passed him, giving him a mixed variety of reactions. Some were good, some not so good. He didn't mind whatsoever, and simply waited. He checked his phone for the third time, and saw that it had been another 2 minutes since he last checked his phone. He sighed, and wondered what the Canadian was doing. He decided to go back into the school to check up on him. He bumped into someone, and upon realizing who it was, he paled.

"O-oh! Sorry-... Oh. Gilbert..." Gilbert gazed into Elizaveta's green eyes. After a full week of not seeing her, he could still drown in those eyes. His heart pulled strings, and it hurt. She looked relieved, but mildly annoyed. It was a look he didn't like on her, "You go, Roderich, I want to speak with him for a bit. I'll catch up, okay?" Gilbert gazed to her side, and not surprisingly found Roderich beside her, inspecting him as if Gilbert were a bug that needed to be squashed. The Austrian rolled his eyes and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Alright, hun, I'll wait for you in my car, alright?" Gilbert was annoyed with the way he spoke, how he held his head way too high up. Elizaveta nodded and smiled, and as the aristocrat passed him, Gilbert noticed the smirk he sported. Gilbert kept the eye roll from happening, he needed to put up a facade for the next few minutes. The door behind him shut, signalling Roderich's departure. Gilbert stared at the girl, who appeared to be thinking about her words. She opened her mouth, but stopped from her words from being voiced. Gilbert noticed that the hallway stood still, and stayed quiet. He could feel every single pair of eyes trained on him and Elizaveta.

Their relationship had been the talk of the school for the last week, and Gilbert was sick of it. He was sick of all the sympathetic gazes so much; he wish he were invisible. Gilbert and Elizaveta had been together for so long, everyone knew not to pursue one or the other, and if they did, it wouldn't end well. They were a power-couple, even going as far as to coordinate outfits. Everyone was curious, and stood around to watch.

"I've been wanting to talk to you for awhile, but you've just been running away or hiding from me." Elizaveta stated, her hands clasping together. "I'm not going to hurt you or anything." She looked away, rubbing her arm. Gilbert took it all in, he saw the sadness in her eyes. He frowned, just a tiny bit anxious at all the stares going their way. He didn't know what was going to happen, so he kept quiet. "Listen, I... I didn't mean to hurt you." She started, and Gilbert scoffed. Elizaveta was shocked from the reaction she received, and adverted her eyes elsewhere.

"Didn't mean to hurt me?!" He asked, his voice raising in volume with each word, "You broke my heart, Elizaveta! I saw my entire future in you, and I wanted to spend every minute of it by your si-"

"See, that's putting way too much pressure on me! I knew we were going to last long, but I also knew it wasn't going to be forever." She huffed out, and crossed her arms. "Gilbert, I loved you, and I love you still, but that flame died down for me." Her face softened, tears brimming, "But I will never regret being with you, because you were what I wanted and needed at the time." He couldn't even look at her as she kept talking, it felt like there was something eating away at his heart. There was a very unfamiliar feeling in his gut, and he wanted to vomit, maybe he'll feel better then; but it just stayed there. Not moving, just constant. He clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling his fingernails dig into his palm. He wanted to cry out, but kept his tongue bitten to keep his composure. He felt a pair of lips lightly press against his cheek, and a tear slipped out. "I'll see you around, Gilbert."

And that was it. Gilbert just stood by the doors, his mind was racing with many thoughts. _That was it... She let me go._ He closed his eyes, and it was just him. If anyone was around, they weren't anymore. Gilbert collapsed onto the ground. He pressed his back against the wall and held his head onto his knees. His breathing was erratic, and small sobs escaped from his lips. His world was falling, and it crushed him. Her words were on repeat in his mind, clean and fresh. He could hear them being said, the exact same way as she spoke it. It taunted him.

There was a hand on his shoulder, which brought him out of his trance. There were still students around him, looking away, though their eyes lingering back. He looked to see the owners hand and saw concerned violet eyes through his blurred vision. Gilbert was quick to hug the Canadian, his face buried into Matthews sweater. He hoped that the smaller male didn't mind getting cried on. A few moments passed, and he felt nimble fingers running through his hair. It was very relaxing, and he could feel his breathing become more longer, becoming more regular.

"It'll be alright, Gil..." Matthews soft voice spoke. "I know it hurts, but everything is going to be okay." He comforted the German, rubbing small circles against his scalp. Gilbert sniffled, and they stayed in that position for what felt like forever.

"How much of it did you see?" Gilbert's thick German accent clouded through in all its' glory.

"All of it."

"Mein gott, you saw how pathetic I was." Gilbert cried out, "Augh, I'm pathetic... for thinking that she also wanted to grow old with me. I'm so stupid, what was I thinking!?" He didn't care if Matthew could understand him or not, he just needed to get his frustrations out. "Sie verließ mich für gut. Warum tun verletze ich so viel, Matthew? Ich soll ehrfürchtigen sein, aber ich bin es nicht."(*) Gilbert continued spewing out German sentences, and Matthew could only catch his name being said. He held the German closer, hearing all the broken and hurt in his voice. Matthew didn't know how to respond, so he just embraced the older male.

Gilbert pulled away and wiped his eyes. He stared at the Canadian, seeing the worry on his face. "I-I'm good now, Mattie. Thanks." The albino mumbled, sniffling. Matthew stood up and reached his hand out for Gilbert to grab, which he did. Now they're both standing, and Gilbert could see that no one was in the hallway anymore, most of them having already left for their homes, or to after-school activities.

"Anytime, Gil. Do.. Do you want to do something? Take your mind off things?" Matthew offered, a bit reluctant. Gilbert only nodded, "O-okay. What do you want to do?" Gilbert shrugged, not caring where they went, as long as it didn't involve the school, or seeing Elizaveta. His face was void of any emotion. "Um... We can go grab an ice cream, if you want to."

"An ice cream sounds good, Mattie, let's go." Gilbert and Matthew walked out of the school building, and the school grounds was almost clear of students. Gilbert grumbled, seeing that they were laughing, it wasn't fair. Why did everyone seem so happy on a day Gilbert felt so glum? The Canadian followed closely behind the German, barely keeping up with how fast Gilbert was walking.

Matthew didn't say anything the whole walk to the nearest ice-cream parlour, but by the time he was inside the building, he was panting. Gilbert took no notice, and went for the short line. Matthew stood by his side, fishing out his wallet from his back pack. The German looked over, and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing?" Gilbert asked, eyeing the Canadian curiously.

"Um... I'm paying for the ice cream?" He said, questioning his own actions. He took out his wallet, and then Gilbert held his wrist, stopping him.

"Nein. You aren't. I'll be paying, Mattie." They both walked to the counter, and before Matthew could say anything, Gilbert ordered, "Ja, can I get a double scoop cookies and dough?" The lady at the cash register nodded and waited for the next order. "What do you want, Mattie?"

"To pay for my own ice-cream?"

"That's not happening." Gilbert stated, grabbing his wallet from his jean pockets. "Now what do you want?" He repeated, staring at the smaller male, who sighed in defeat.

"Chocolate mint." Matthew replied. " _Triple_ scoop." Matthew wore a smug smile on his face, deciding that if Gilbert were persistent, he would have a small taste of revenge. Gilbert was unfazed, opting for a triple scoop as well. That small taste of revenge was immediately taken away.

"You like chocolate mint?" Gilbert's face scrunched, and his gaze fell upon the Canadian. He definitely did like chocolates, and mints, but together? He didn't think so.

"Yeah, it's one of my favourite flavours, other than maple walnut ice cream." He smiled, and watched as the lady prepared their icy snacks. "What about yours? Do you like anything else besides cookies and dough?" He asked, and the lady gave them their ice creams along with a bright smile.

"Thank you." They both said, and went to sit at a table.

"Hm, I really like the chocolate fudge a lot," Gilbert said, tasting a lick of his own ice cream. Matthew nodded. The Canadian mostly sat in silence, only adding a few words to whatever Gilbert had said. Their conversation drifted into many different topics such as; creating their own ice cream flavour, their beloved pets, and types of music they liked. The agreed on some, disagreed on a few, but were able to see past them. Gilbert, being as awesome as he was, didn't want to fuck up a perfectly good friendship. And Matthew, he was just glad he made another friend.

Their conversation was interrupted by the ding of a cellphone, Gilbert's cellphone. By now, they had finished their ice creams and were just sitting. The albino motioned for Matthew to hold on, and saw that he had a text from one of his best friends, Francis.

 _Fran the man_  
 _hey gil hows about a party tonight, oui? we havent seen u in so long, what have you been up to?_

 _#awesome_

 _been chillin w/matthew, hes v cool, and ja, im down for partyin_

 _Fran the man_

 _my cousin? but hes so bland..._

 _#awesome_

 _no hes actually really fun to hang out with, but whens the party and can i bring him?_

 _Fran the man_

 _its starts at 8 ends whenever, and matthew isnt really the party-type but okay_

Gilbert looked up from his phone, seeing Matthew staring out the window, completely in his own world. Gilbert silently admired, and quickly caught his attention with a cough.

"Mattie, do you want to go to a party tonight?"

* * *

 _(*) "She left me for good. Why do I hurt so much, Matthew. I should be awesome, but I'm not."  
French is pretty much explanatory in this, but for those of you who don't know: oui = yes_

 **What's up! :D Back again with the next chapter :) Can I just state that I ship NedCan? Cus I do. Anyways, Elizaveta's here and she aint sorry? And what's up with those names, surely I could have picked better ones, but I couldn't... lol...**

 **The next chapter should be fun, and agh I'm the one writing, yet I can't wait! :D Hope you enjoyed so far!**


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